Death toll rises to 76 in deadly Turkiye Ski Resort fire

Shafaq News/ The death toll from the fire that broke out at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Turkiye's Kartalkaya ski resort surpassed 75, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed on Wednesday.

"The fire is now under control, and cooling operations are ongoing," Yerlikaya told reporters. “We are deeply saddened by this tragic event. Unfortunately, the number of lives lost has increased from 66 to 76,” Yerlikaya said.

He did not specify the number of injuries, however, reports suggested that more than 70 were wounded.

Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydin stated that the fire began on Tuesday at around 3:30 a.m. local time (0030 GMT) in the fourth-floor restaurant of the hotel in Bolu province, northwest Turkiye, and quickly spread through the 12-story hotel, which was hosting 238 guests at the time.

The hotel is part of the Kartalkaya ski resort, which is a popular destination during the winter season.

The exact cause of the fire remains unclear, but local media reported that it spread rapidly, with emergency services facing delays due to the remote mountain location and severe weather conditions in the region.

267 personnel from various agencies working to control the blaze and assist the victims.

Witnesses blamed negligence for the disaster, some reported that the fire alarms failed to activate during the incident, which led to panic among the guests.

The police have detained nine people, including the owner of the hotel, on suspicion of not adhering to fire safety regulations.

As of now, the authorities are using DNA testing to identify the victims, and some families have already received the remains of their ones.

The Turkish government has declared a national day of mourning to honor the victims.